war in ukraine
Many Norwegian startups are concerned about their developers in Ukraine. Now they want them here.
Fintech Company Devero It is one of the many Norwegian startups that has developers living in Ukraine. Founder Eagle Arif Tarjim Today I woke up to a message from someone who said they had been invaded. Another developer wrote to him that a missile hit the neighborhood.
– It’s too cruel. These are the people I’ve worked with for many years. I’ve visited and visited them, and two of our developers live in Kharkov, says Arif Targim.
The company has a total of six developers in the team, through a major company in Ukraine.
Arff Tarjem says that this company has tried in recent weeks to speed up a planned move to Latvia, but it has been clearly too slow to do so.
Russian forces are now attacking Ukraine with full force.
– We have been expecting this for a week now, trying to push a little, but the experience that the developers themselves tried to close their eyes to this result. For example, they tell us that this is nothing new, and that they have lived with this for eight years, says Arif Tarjim.
– Now I don’t know if they have internet or if they are in a car on the way to Latvia.
He’s willing Defero will have to suspend all new development, and likely planned expansion into new countries, for a while, even if they can maintain operations.
The net effect will likely be that our growth will be a little lower this year than we thought, says Arv Targame, who is of course more concerned that developers are now getting to safety quickly.
– But there is no point in pretending like anything else; It has consequences for us. But it is also wrong to ask them to talk to me now, when they are struggling to survive.
– We try to show support, ask if there is anything we can do, but it is not.
Provides shelter for developers
norwegian medical app Air It also has developers in Ukraine. Executive Director Camilla Kluge Voss They say they condemn the attack on the country and that the ideas go to the developers and their families.
– We had a constant dialogue with them about the situation, and we offered them the opportunity to come here. She says they refused for various reasons.
– The offer is still there, of course, but the options for transportation outside the country are now much more difficult. We also have a skilled technical team here in Norway, and we’re now working on expanding that capacity even further, Kluge Voss tells Shifter.
Proptech Startups Divigo Five developers in Ukraine. Executive Director Heldor Samardottir It tells about the extreme insecurity among these people because they do not leave the country by plane.
– We know the whole team is safe now, but they are planning to get out of the country. Probably via Poland. We would like them to come to Norway, and then we will help them find a place to live and the like, but of course they have to decide on this themselves, says Samardottir, who is very concerned about his safety.
– This is a very unusual and difficult situation, but I am concerned first of all that they should get out of the country, and they are welcome to come here.
According to Samardottir, the developers haven’t shown much interest in themselves, yet.
– But it’s hard to tell if they’re expressing a sense of calm to reassure us as a customer or something else.
However, she is not worried about the consequences for her own company.
– We solve this, says Samardottir.
– Not real
norwegian development agency Methods Currently there is one developer in Ukraine, but he had several before. at LinkedIn posts This week, the general manager wrote Knut Michael Hoagland He was terrified. He made an offer to everyone he once worked with to come here.
– They’re welcome, but many said they are used to it, and have struggled with this since 2014. My impression is that they didn’t realize this could happen, says Hoagland.
– We contacted our developer today, and at least it’s safe, he says.
“Web specialist. Lifelong zombie maven. Coffee ninja. Hipster-friendly analyst.”
